
Class JL 

Book - ^S_[ 'f 



anii 

Mmdinmana Pragma 

ADOPTED BY THE 

REFORMED SOCIETY OF 
ISRAELITES 



FOUNDED IN CHARLESTON, S. C. 

A 



NOVEMBER 21. 1825 



m 



REPRINTED 
WITH AN INTRODUCTION 

Dr. BARNETT A. ELZAS 



NEW YORK 

BLOCH PUBLISHING COMPANY 
1916 



r) 



TO 

THE MEMORY OF 

THE FRIEND AND GUARDIAN 

OF MY YOUTH 

RABBI SIMEON SINGER 

THIS LITTLE VOLUME IS 

AFFECTIONATELY 

INSCRIBED 

BY 

THE EDITOR 



EDITOR'S PREFACE. 

The Prayer Book of The Reformed Society of 
Israelites, of Charleston, South Carolina, is one of 
the rarest, as well as one of the most interesting 
documents, relating to the development of Judaism 
in America. Unknown except from secondary- 
sources to recent writers, it is the earliest Reform 
Prayer Book printed in this country, and throws 
an interesting light on early Reformed American 
Judaism. Persistent research has brought to light 
only two imperfect copies, by combining which, 
this reprint has been made possible. The original 
bears the date 1830. Whether there was an earlier 
edition, the Editor is unable to say with certainty — 
probably there was. It is well worth preserving 
to posterity. 

The story of the Reformed Society of Israelites 
has been told in detail in the Editor's volume : The 
Jews of South Carolina, pp. 147-165, and in an article 
in the Literary Supplement to The American He- 
brew, Dec. 7, 1906. He has there shown, contrary 
to all previous statements, that the Charleston 
Movement of 1824 was not an indigenous Move- 
ment, but was directly dependent upon a similar 
Movement that had taken place in Germany a few 
years before — now popularly known as the Ham- 
burg Movement. The Prayer Book of the Reformed 
Society of Israelites, however, has nothing in com- 
mon with the one published for the use of the 
Hamburg Temple in 1819. Apart from its nov- 
elties, such as the Articles of Faith, the Wedding 



Editor's Preface. 

Service, the Confirmation Service, the Service for 
Circumcision and for Naming a Daughter, and its 
English Hymns, it is based upon the Portuguese 
Ritual then in use in Charleston. 

The diction of the Prayer Book is classical, in 
which respect it is in marked contrast with later 
American productions. Its compilers were Isaac 
Harby, the best known Jewish publicist of his day, 
Abraham Moise, a prominent lawyer, of Charleston, 
and David Nunes Carvalho, the lay Reader of the 
Society. The Hymns — here first incorporated into 
a Jewish Prayer Book in the English language, are 
practically all adapted from Christian sources — one 
hymn only, No. 5: "Before the glorious orbs of 
light" — an admirable version of the Adon Olam — 
is of Jewish origin, its author being the before-men- 
tioned David Nunes Carvalho. 

Some of the Rubrics, e,. g., those connected with 
the Ceremony of Circumcision, the Ceremony of 
Naming a Daughter, and the Marriage Ceremony, 
are rather amusing to us of this later day; they 
furnish a curious illustration of the method of 
the Society in its proposal "to go back to Moses and 
the Prophets." But the Society meant well, and 
we, the inheritors of its brave work — the first effort 
at Reform in America — should be ever grateful to 
these pioneers, who anticipated by at least a genera- 
tion, the first successful attempts to create an 
American Judaism 1 . 

New York, February, 1916. 



THE 



SABBATH SERVICE 



AND 



MISCELLANEOUS PR AYE US 



ADOPTED BY THE 



REFORMED SOCIETY OF ISRAELITES* 



FOUNDED IN 



CHARLESTON, SOUTH-CAROLINA, 



NOVEMBER 21, 1825. 



eijarlestom 

PRINTED BY J. S. BURGES, 44 QUEEN-ST. 
1830* 



CONTEXTS. 

Editor's- Preface 

Facsimile Title Page Page 1 

Preface ---5 

Articles of Faith,'" ------- 6 

Eve of Sabbath Service, - 9 

Sabbath Morning Service, ----- 16 

Prayer after the first or opening Hymn, - - - 27 
A Prayer appropriated to any day of holy convocation 28 
A prayer on going on a voyage, and during a storm 

at sea - - - - - - - - -30 

Private thanksgiving for deliverance, - - - 31 
Public thanksgiving for a signal deliverance, - - 31 
Private prayer for the sick, ----- 32 

Public prayer for the sick, - - - - - - 32 

Prayer for one dying, ------ 33 

Morning prayer, --------34 

Evening Prayer ------- 35 

Grace before and after meat, ----- 35 

Ceremony of Circumcision, - - - - - 36 

Ceremony of naming a Daughter, - 38 

Burial Service, -------40 

Burial Service for a Woman, - - - - - 42 

Prayers to be offered up in the House of Mourning, 43 
Marriage Ceremony, -------47 

A Prayer for New Year and Day of Atonement, - 49 

A Prayer for the Sabbath 50 

A Prayer for Pentecost, ------ 51 

Mode for Confirmation, - ------ 53 

HYMNS. 

Although the vine its fruit deny, - - - - 55 

Arise, my soul! with rapture rise! 55 

As the good shepherd gently leads, - - - - 56 

Before Jehovah's awful throne, - - - - 56 

Before the glorious orbs of light, - - - 57 

Father, whate'er of earthly bliss, 58 

Few are thy days, and full of woe, - - - - 58 

Fountain of mercy, God of love, - - - - 58 



Contents. 



From all that dwell below the skies, - 

How long shall earth's alluring toys, 

How short the race our friend has run, 

Inspirer and hearer of prayer, - 

Let heaven arise, let earth appear, - 

Like Noah's weary dove, ------ 

Lift up your hands, rejoice, rejoice, - 

My op'ning eyes with rapture see, - - - 

Now from the altar of our hearts, - 

O, where shall rest be found! - - - - 

Praise to thee, thou great Creator, - 
Praise to God, immortal praise, - 
Sovereign Lord of light and glory, - 
Sweet the mutual love that's glowing 
Thrice happy is the man, who hears, 
The God of life, whose constant care, 
The morning flowers display their sweets, 
There is a land of pure delight, ---■.- 

The spacious firmament on high, - - - 
To thee my earliest off'rings rise, - - - 
SUBJECTS OF THE HYMNS. 

Brotherly love, Hymn 

Creation, ------- 

Creation praising God, - - - 

Evening Hymn, - - - - - 

Frailty of Man, - - - - - 

Funeral Hymn, - - - - - 

Goodness of God, - - - - 

Heaven, Joys of - - - - - 

Morning Hymn, ------ 

New- Year Hymn, - - - - - 

Praise, °, 19, 

Providence of God, - - - - - 
Power of God, - - - - - 
Religion the true wisdom, - 

Rest for the soul, - - - - - 

Sabbath Hymn, 

Trust in God, - 1, 12, 



59 
59 
60 
60 
61 
61 
62 
62 
63 
63 
64 
64 
65 
65 
66 
66 
67 
68 
68 
69 



22 
13 
27 
17 
10, 25 

7. 11 

3, 28 
26 

2 

24 
20, 21 

8, 23 

4, 5 
6 

18 

16 

14, 15 



PREFACE. 



As a proper introduction to those Prayers and 
Thanksgivings which a devout heart only should ad- 
dress to the Supreme Being, the following Articles of 
Faith are presented as the creed of "The Reformed 
Society of Israelites/' Embracing as they do noth- 
ing doubtful or ceremonial, they consist simply of 
those religious axioms to which neither the bigot nor 
the latitudinarian can reasonably object, and which 
indeed cannot be rejected, without rejecting the divine 
origin of the moral law. They constitute all that is 
essential to faith in revealed religion. To believe them 
with a perfect conviction; to pursue that conduct 
through life to which they naturally lead, and which 
their spirit comprehends and enforces, is, we are per- 
suaded, the only true path of life here on earth, and 
the only hope and prospect of happiness hereafter. 

It will be perceived in this part of the service which 
is respectfully submitted to the enlightened and pious 
Israelite, that the compilers have embraced only such 
portions of the prayers adopted by the Reformed 
Society as are deemed of immediate and pressing 
necessity. In the total absence of any well digested 
form of service for the Sabbath, as well as other oc- 
casions, adapted to the feelings, opinions and dis- 
positions of many, who differ from their brethren of 
the ancient synagogue, it is hoped and believed that 



6 Articles of Faith 

this collection will in a great measure supply that 
deficiency. At a future period it is contemplated to 
present to the Israelites of the United States, a new 
and enlarged edition of the whole form of prayer, to 
include the service of Festivals, as well as such selec- 
tions from the original Hebrew, as have been un- 
avoidably omitted in the present work. 

In laying down these Articles and this Form of 
Service, the compilers of the following Prayers for 
the Reformed Society of Israelites, do not presume to 
restrict the faith or conscience of any man. Let each 
one believe or reject what his heart and understand- 
ing (at once humbled and enlightened by Divine 
goodness) may rationally dictate to be believed or 
rejected. The compilers act only for themselves, for 
their children, and for all those who think the period 
has arrived, when the Jew should break in pieces the 
sceptre of Rabbinical power, and assert his attribute 
as a free agent, obedient only to the laws of God, and 
responsible for his thoughts and actions to the merci- 
ful Creator alone. 

@@© 
ARTICLES OF FAITH. 

I. I believe with a perfect faith, that God Almighty 
(blessed be his name!) is the Creator and Governor 
of all creation ; and that he alone has made, does make, 
and will make all things. 

II. I believe with a perfect faith, that the Creator, 
(blessed be his name! is only one in unity; to 
which there is no resemblance; and that he alone has 
been, is, and will be God. 



Articles of Faith. 7 

III. I believe with a perfect faith, that the Creator 
(blessed be his name!) is not corporeal, nor to be 
comprehended by any understanding capable of com- 
prehending only what is corporeal; and that there is 
nothing like him in the universe. 

IV. I believe with a perfect faith, that the Creator 
(blessed be his name!) is the only true object of ador- 
ation, and that no other being whatsoever ought to be 
worshipped. 

V. I believe with a perfect faith, that the soul of 
man is breathed into him by God, and is therefore 
immortal. 

VI. I believe with a perfect faith, that the Crea- 
tor (blessed be his name!) knows all things, and that 
he will reward those who observe his commands, and 
punish those who transgress them. 

VII. I believe with a perfect faith, that the laws of 
God, as delivered by Moses in the ten commandments, 
are the only true foundations of piety towards the 
Almighty and of morality among men. 

VIII. I believe with a perfect faith, that morality 
is essentially connected with religion, and that good 
faith towards all mankind, is among the most accept- 
able offerings to the Deity. 

IX. I believe with a perfect faith, that the love of 
God is the highest duty of his creatures, and that the 
pure and upright heart is the chosen temple of 
Jehovah. 

X. I believe with a perfect faith, that the Crea- 
tor (blessed be his name!) is the only true Redeem- 
er of all his children, and that he will spread the 
worship of his name over the whole earth. 



PRAYERS 

OF THE 



EVE OF SABBATH SERVICE. 

(A Psalm by the choir, a Prayer by the officiating min- 
ister, then another Psalm. The minister first reads 
in Hebrew, and then in English, the 92d and 93d 
Psalms.) 

92d psalm. 

It is good to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing 
unto thy name, O Most High ! To declare thy loving 
kindness in the morning and thy faithfulness in the 
night. Upon the ten-stringed instrument, and upon the 
psaltery, and with a solemn sound upon the harp. For 
thou O Lord! hast made me glad with thy wonderful 
works. I therefore will triumph in the works of thy 
hands. How great, O Lord! are thy works! Thy 
thoughts are exceedingly profound. An unwise man 
knoweth it not, neither doth a fool understand this. 
When the wicked spring up like grass, and the workers 
of iniquity flourish, it is that they may be destroyed 
for ever. But thou, O Lord! art exalted for ever- 
more. For lo ! thine enemies, O Lord ! for lo ! thine 
enemies shall perish; all the workers of iniquity shall 
be scattered. But thou shalt exalt mine horn like 
the horn of the unicorn; I shall be anointed with 
fresh oil. Mine eyes also shall see my desire on mine 



10 Eve of Sabbath Service. 

enemies, and mine ears shall hear it of the wicked 
that rise up against me. The righteous shall flourish 
like the palm tree. They shall grow like the cedars in 
Lebanon. They shall be planted in the house of the 
Lord; in the courts of our God shall they flourish. 
They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they 
shall be contented and flourishing, to show that the 
Lord is upright; he is my rock, and there is no un- 
righteousness in him. 

93d psalm. 

The Lord reigneth clothed with majesty: with 
strength hath he clothed and girt himself. He hath 
also fixed the unalterable order of the universe. Thy 
throne, O Lord! is established from all antiquity; thy 
existence is from all eternity. Though the floods, O 
Lord! lift up their proud heads — though they lift 
up their voices, and they roar wth a dreadful sound — 
yet mightier than the billows of the ocean, than the 
voice of the assembled waters, art thou in thine em- 
inence, O Lord! Thy testimonies are exceedingly 
stable ; the holiness of thy house is desirable, unto the 
utmost length of days. 

{Responses. ) 

Bless ye the Lord, who is ever blessed. 

Blessed be the Lord who is blessed for ever and 
ever. 

Blessed art thou, O Lord our God! The king of 
the universe with his word causeth the evening to ad- 
vance, he openeth the gates with wisdom, with under- 
standing changeth times and varieth seasons, and dis- 
poseth the stars in their stations in the heavens, ac- 
cording to his will. He createth day and night, caus- 
ing the light to recede before the darkness, and dark- 



Eve of Sabbath Service, 11 

ness before the light. He maketh a division between 
day and night ; the Lord of Hosts is his name. There- 
fore, O Lord our God! when we lie down and when 
we rise up, we will talk of thy statutes. We will be 
glad and rejoice in the instructive words of thy law, 
thy commandments and statutes for ever. For they 
are our life; they give us length of days. On them 
will we meditate day and night, and mayest thou never 
remove thy love from us. amen. 

(Responses.) 

O Lord ! open thou my lips, and my mouth shall de- 
clare thy praise. 

Hear, O Israel! the Lord is our God; the Lord is 
One. 



Blessed be the name of the glory of his kingdom for 
evermore. 

And thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy 
heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength. 

And these words which I command thee this day 
shall be in thine heart. And thou shalt teach them 
diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them 
when thou sittest in thy house, and when thou walkest 
by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou 
risest up. 

And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thy hand, 
and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. 

And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy 
house, and upon thy gates. 

And it shall come to pass, that if ye will hearken 
diligently unto my commandments, which I command 



12 Eve of Sabbath Service. 

you this day, to love the Lord your God, and to serve 
him with all your heart and with all your soul; then 
will I send rain for your land in its due season; the 
first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather 
in thy corn, thy wine and thine oil. 

And I will give grass in thy fields for thy cattle, 
that thou mayest eat and be satisfied. 

Take heed of yourselves, lest your heart be deceived, 
and ye turn aside and serve other gods and worship 
them. 

For then the Lord's wrath will be kindled against 
you, and he will shut up the heavens, that there be no 
rain, and the land shall not yield her fruit, and ye shall 
perish quickly from off the goodly land, which the 
Lord giveth you. 

Therefore, shall ye lay up these my words in your 
heart, and in your soul, and bind them for a sign 
upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between 
your eyes. 

That your days may be multiplied, and the days of 
your children, in the land, which the Lord sware unto 
your fathers to give them, as the days of heaven upon 
the earth. 

Thou, O Lord ! art mighty forever. It is thou who 
revivest the dead; thou who art mighty to save; thou 
who sustainest the living with beneficence, and with 
great mercy quickenest the dead. Who supportest the 
fallen and healest the sick; who deliverest those that 
are in bonds, and wilt accomplish thy faithfulness un- 
to those that sleep in the dust. Who is like unto thee, 
O Lord ! or who can be compared unto thee, who art 
the king that destroyest and restorest to life, and caus- 
est salvation to spring forth. 



Eve of Sabbath Service. 13 

SANCTIFICATION OF THE SABBATH. 

Thou didst sanctify the seventh day to thy name: 
it was the completion of the work of the heavens and 
of the earth. Thou didst bless and sanctify it above 
all other days. For thus it is written : "And the heav- 
ens and the earth were finished and all their host. 
And on the seventh day God ended his work which he 
had made, and he rested on the seventh day from all 
the work which he had made. And God blessed the 
seventh day and sanctified it, because he rested there- 
on from all his work, which God had created and 
made." 

They who observe the Sabbath and call it a delight ; 
the people who sanctify the seventh day shall rejoice 
in thy kingdom. They shall all be satisfied and de- 
lighted with thy goodness. For thou wast pleased with 
and didst sanctify the seventh day; the most desirable 
of days didst thou call it, a memorial of the work of 
creation. 

And it is written in thy law: "And the children of 
Israel shall keep the Sabbath, observing the Sabbath 
throughout their generations for a perpetual coven- 
ant. It is a sign between me and the children of 
Israel for ever. For in six days the Lord made heav- 
en and earth, and on the seventh day he rested." 

Blessed art thou, O Lord God, king of the world! 
who hast instituted the Sabbath for thy rational crea- 
tures. Our God, and the God of our fathers ! we be- 
seech thee to accept this which thou hast appointed 
as our day of rest. Sanctify us with thy command- 
ments, and ordain our portion to be in thy law. O 
satisfy us with thy goodness, rejoice our souls with 
thy salvation, and purify our hearts to serve thee in 
truth. Teach us, O Lord, our God ! to inherit thy holy 
Sabbath with love and joy; and grant that all the 
children of Israel who sanctify thy name, may have 
rest thereon. Blessed art thou, O Lord! who sancti- 
fiest the Sabbath. {End of the Sanctification) 



14 Eve of Sabbath Service. 

We gratefully acknowledge that thou art the Lord 
our God, and the God of our fathers, for ever- 
more. Thou art our rock, the rock of our life and 
shield of our salvation. Through all generations will 
we render thanks unto thee, and recount thy praise, 
for our life which is in thine hand ; and for our souls, 
which are ever under thy care; and for thy miracu- 
lous providence, which we daily experience; and for 
thy wonders and thy loving kindness, which are at all 
times manifested towards us, in the morning, at noon, 
and in the evening. Thou alone art good, for thy mer- 
cies never fail: Thou alone art merciful, for thy 
kindness never ceases; therefore have we put our 
trust in thee. 

(Responses.) 

O my God ! guard thou my tongue from evil, and my 
lips from uttering deceit. 

Open my heart to receive thy law, that my soul may 
pursue thy commandments. 

Frustrate, I beseech thee, speedily the devices and 
destroy the machinations of all those who rise up 
against me for evil. 

O grant it for thy name! Grant it for thy right 
hand! Grant it for thy law! Grant it for thy holi- 
ness ! 

O, save me with thy right hand, and answer me! 

May the words of my mouth, and the meditation of 
my heart, be always acceptable in thy sight, O Lord! 
who art my rock and my redeemer. 

May he who ordaineth peace in his high heaven, 
through his infinite mercy grant peace unto us, unto 
all Israel, and unto all mankind, amen. 



Eve of Sabbath Service. 15 

It is our especial duty to praise with gratitude the 
Lord of all ; to ascribe greatness unto him, who formed 
the world in the beginning; since he hath not made us 
as the unenlightened nations; nor placed us in dark- 
ness like the heathen multitude; nor cast our lot in 
ignorance and idolatry; nor suffered us to worship 
vanity and emptiness, like those, who make supplica- 
tion to a god that cannot save. But we bow down 
before the Supreme King of kings, the holy and 
blessed One! him who stretched out the heavens, and 
laid the foundations of the earth: whose glory is in 
the heavens above; and the divine majesty of his 
power in the highest heaven. He is our God, and 
there is none other. Our king is truth, and there is 
none beside him, as it is written, Know therefore 
this day and reflect in thine heart, that the Lord he 
is God; in heaven above and on the earth beneath. 
There is none else. 



{Here read a portion of the Prophets; after which fol- 
lows a Psalm by the choir; then conclude with the 
. following Prayer:) 

Thou hast heard our voice, most merciful Father! 
Have compassion on us, and favourably accept our 
prayers ; for thou art the God who hearkenest to suppli- 
cation. Dismiss us not empty from thy presence, but 
be gracious unto us. Hear and answer our prayers, 
for thou hearest the prayer of every mouth; accept 
also our thanksgivings, for thou knowest the gratitude 
of every heart. Grant unto us, O our Father! to lie 
down in peace, and to rise up again to a happy and 
peaceable life. Direct us with good counsel; remove 
the adversary from before and behind us; shield us 
under the shadow of thy wing ; and guard us, O Lord ! 
at our going out and at our coming in, from henceforth 
and for ever. amen. 

{End of the Sabbath Eve Service.) 



16 Sabbath Morning Service. 



SABBATH MORNING SERVICE. 

(The choir open with a Hymn; the minister then fol- 
lows with a Prayer; the choir then chaunt another 
Hymn; the minister then proceeds:) 

O God of all ! the soul which thou hast given to man, 
is pure unless defiled by sin. Thou hast created and 
breathed it into him. Thou hast taught him, that it is 
his precious gem, and the immortal bond between him 
and thee. Thou dost carefully guard it within him; 
at the hour of his death thou wilt take it from him; 
thou wilt purify it from the stain of human frailties; 
thou wilt restore it unto him strong and renovated in 
futurity. While soul and body are united, we do 
acknowledge before thee, O Lord our God and the God 
of our fathers! that thou art Sovereign of all works, 
Ruler of all creatures, and Lord of all souls. We 
therefore praise thee for ever and ever. 

(The 33d Psalm is then to be read, first in Hebrew 
and then in English.) 

33d psalm. 



Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous! for to the up- 
right praise is comely. Praise ye the Lord with the 
harp, sing unto him with the psaltery and the ten- 
stringed instrument. Sing unto him a new hymn, let 
the trumpet utter a melodious sound. For the word of 
the Lord is right, and all his works are done in truth. 
He loveth righteousness and justice; the earth is full 
of the mercy of the Lord. By the word of the Lord 
were the heavens made, and all their host by the breath 
of his mouth. He gathereth together the waters of 
the sea as a heap; he layeth up the depths in store- 



Sabbath Morning Service. 17 

houses. Let all the earth, then, fear the Lord. Let 
all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. 
For he spake, and it was done ; he commanded, and it 
stood fast. 

The Lord doth frustrate the counsels of the nations ; 
he bringeth to nought the devices of the people. The 
counsel of the Lord shall stand for ever, and the 
purposes of his mind to all generations. Happy is 
the nation whose God is the Lord; happy the people 
whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance. The 
Lord looketh down from heaven ; he beholdeth all the 
sons of men. From the place of his residence he 
watcheth over all the inhabitants of the earth. He 
fashioneth all their hearts and understandeth all their 
works. 

Behold! the eyes of the Lord are upon them who 
fear him, upon them who hope in his mercy, to de- 
liver their souls from death, and to keep them alive 
in times of peril. Our soul waiteth for the Lord, he 
is our help and our shield. In him shall our heart 
rejoice, because we have trusted in his holy name. 
Let thy mercy, O Lord, be with us, according as we 
trust in thee. 

(Responses.) 

O Lord ! open thou my lips, and my mouth shall de- 
clare thy praise. 

O Lord! be gracious unto us, we have waited for 
thee. Be thou our strength every morning; our sal- 
vation also in time of distress. 

We will give thanks unto God, who ceased from all 
his work, and on the seventh day exalted himself and 
sat on the throne of his glory. With honour did he 
adorn the day of rest, and called the Sabbath a day of 
delight. 



18 Sabbath Morning Service. 

SANCTIFICATION OF THE SABBATH 

Thou didst sanctify the seventh day to thy name: 
it was the completion of the work of the heavens and 
of the earth. Thou didst bless and sanctify it above 
all other days. For thus it is written : "And the heav- 
ens and the earth were finished and all their host. 
And on the seventh day God ended his work which he 
had made, and he rested on the seventh day from all 
the work which he had made. And God blessed the 
seventh day and sanctified it, because he rested thereon 
from all his work, which God had created and made." 

They who observe the Sabbath and call it a delight ; 
the people who sanctify the seventh day shall rejoice 
in thy kingdom. They shall all be satisfied and de- 
lighted with thy goodness. For thou wast pleased 
with and didst sanctify the seventh day; the most de- 
sirable of days didst thou call it, a memorial of the 
work of creation. 

And it is written in thy law: "And the children of 
Israel shall keep the Sabbath, observing the Sabbath 
throughout their generations for a perpetual covenant 
It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for 
ever. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, 
and on the seventh day he rested." 

Blessed art thou, O Lord God, king of the world! 
who hast instituted the Sabbath for thy rational crea- 
tures. Our God, and the God of our fathers! we 
beseech thee to accept this which thou hast appointed 
as our day of rest. Sanctify us with thy command- 
ments, and ordain our portion to be in thy law. O 
satisfy us with thy goodness, rejoice our souls with 
thy salvation, and purify our hearts to serve thee in 
truth. Teach us, O Lord, our God! to inherit thy 
holy Sabbath with love and joy; and grant that all the 
children of Israel who sanctify thy name, may have 
rest thereon. Blessed art thou, O Lord! who sancti- 
fiest the Sabbath. (End of the Sanctification.) ~ 



Sabbath Morning Service. 19 

Hear, O Israel! the Lord is our God; the Lord is 
One. 



Blessed be the name of the glory of his kingdom for 
evermore. 

And thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy 
heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength. 

And these words which I command thee this day 
shall be in thine heart. And thou shalt teach them 
diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them 
when thou sittest in thy house, and when thou walkest 
by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou 
risest up. 

And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thy hand, 
and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. 

And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy 
house, and upon thy gates. 

And it shall come to pass, that if ye will hearken dili- 
gently unto my commandments, which I command you 
this day, to love the Lord your God, and to serve him 
with all your heart and with all your soul ; then will I 
send rain for your land in its due season; the first 
rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy 
corn, thy wine and thine oil. 

And I will give grass in thy fields for thy cattle, that 
thou mayest eat and be satisfied. 

Take heed of yourselves, lest your heart be deceived, 
and ye turn aside and serve other gods and worship 
them. 



20 Sabbath Morning Service. 

For then the Lord's wrath will be kindled against 
you, and he will shut up the heavens, that there be 
no rain, and the land shall not yield her fruit, and ye 
shall perish quickly from off the goodly land, which 
the Lord giveth you. 

Therefore, shall ye lay up these my words in your 
heart, and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon 
your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your 
eyes. 

That your days may be multiplied, and the days of 
your children, in the land, which the Lord sware 
unto your fathers to give them, as the days of heav- 
en upon the earth. 

O, our Creator! impress our hearts with the ex- 
cellency of thy commandments ; open our minds to the 
contemplation of thy divine goodness, that no wordly 
thought or vain imagination may divert our souls from 
thee. May we increase in purity, so as to deserve thy 
compassion and thy love; and may thy favour be 
graciously extended towards us this day and for ever. 



(Responses.) 

Thou wast the same before thou didst create the 
world, and thou art the same after thou didst create 
the world. Thou art God in this world, and thou art 
God in the future; thou art immutable, and thy years 
have no end. 

Various are the imaginations of the heart of man; 
but it is the counsel of the Lord that shall stand firm. 

The counsel of the Lord shall stand for ever, and 
his wise purposes to all generations. 



Sabbath Morning Service. 21 

It is therefore our duty to render unto him the 
gratitude of our hearts; to extol and magnify his 
name; to fear and reverence his will; to honour and 
acknowledge as our king, him who is all powerful 
to save. 

(Responses.) 

Sovereign of worlds, and Lord of lords ! We pre- 
sume not to present our supplications before thee for 
our righteousness, but for thine abundant mercy. 



O Lord, hear! O Lord, pardon! O Lord, hear us 
graciously and grant our supplications! 



Thou who art most mighty, most holy! Guide this 
congregated people with thine abundant goodness. 



Forgive us, we beseech thee, for we have sinned! 
Pardon us, O our King! for we have transgressed: 
for thou, O Lord ! art good and ready to forgive. 



Look upon our afflictions, we beseech thee, and de- 
fend our cause. Hasten to redeem us with perfect 
redemption; for thou, O God! art the mighty 
redeemer. 



True it is that man is happy who hearkeneth to 
thy commandments, and layeth up thy law in his heart, 
True that thou art the first, and that thou art the last, 
and besides thee we have neither king, redeemer, nor 
saviour. 



Through all generations will we render thanks unto 
thee, and recount thy praise, for our life, which is in 



22 Sabbath Morning Service. 

thine hand; and for our souls, which are ever under 
thy care; and for thy miraculous providence, which 
we daily experience; and for thy wonders and thy 
loving kindness, which are at all times manifested 
towards us, in the morning, at noon, and in the eve- 
ning. Thou alone art good, for thy mercies never fail : 
Thou alone art merciful, for thy kindness never ceases ; 
therefore have we put our trust in thee. 

Put not your trust in princes, (saith the Psalmist,) 
put not your trust in the son of man, in whom there is 
no salvation. His breath goeth forth; he returneth to 
his native earth; in that very day his thoughts perish. 
But happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his 
help, whose hope is in the Lord his God, who made 
heaven and earth and sea, and all that is therein ; who 
keepeth truth for ever; who executeth judgment for 
the oppressed; and giveth food to the hungry. The 
Lord setteth free the prisoners. The Lord openeth the 
eyes of the blind. The Lord raiseth up those who are 
bowed down. The Lord loveth the righteous. The 
Lord protecteth the stranger; he relieveth the father- 
less and the widow: but the way of the wicked he 
overthroweth. The Lord shall reign for ever: even 
thy God, O Zion! unto all generations. Hallelujah! 



(Responses.) 



Save us, O Lord! Let the heavenly King hear us 
when we call. 



For our hearts shall rejoice in him, because we 
have trusted in his holy name. 

Grant that thy mercy be upon us, according as we 
trust in thee. 



Sabbath Morning Service. 23 

O Lord! show us thy mercy, and grant us thy sal- 
vation. 

Arise for our help, and redeem us for thy mercy's 
sake. 

Thine, O Lord! is greatness, power, glory, victory 
and majesty. For all that is in the heavens and in the 
earth is thy work. Thine is the kingdom, O Lord! 
and thou art exalted as supreme above all. 

Riches and honour proceed from thee, and thou hast 
dominion over all. In thine hand are power and 
might, and it is with thee to make great and to give 
strength unto all. 

Now, therefore, our God ! we thank thee, and praise 
thy glorious name. 

And the people shall bless thy honoured name, which 
is exalted above all blessing and praise. 

Thou art Lord alone ! Thou hast made the heaven, 
the heaven of heavens with all their host ; the earth and 
all things that are therein; and thou preservest them 
all; and the host of heaven worship thee! 

The Lord hath reigned! The Lord reigneth! The 
Lord shall reign for ever and ever! 

He whom thou didst greatly favour ; he who was a 
sinner but repented unto holiness; he who hath sung 
thy praises on his harp, and was filled with thee in his 
heart; even David thy beloved hath said, 

Blessed art thou, O Lord God of Israel ! our father 
forever and ever. Amen. 



24 Sabbath Morning Service. 

The breath of all living shall bless thy name, O Lord 
our God ! And the spirit of all flesh shall continually 
glorify and exalt thy memorial, O our King ! For thou 
art God from everlasting to everlasting, and besides 
thee we have neither king, redeemer nor saviour, to 
redeem, deliver, answer and compassionate us in all 
times of trouble and distress. We have no sovereign 
to aid and support us, but thou alone, God of the first 
and of the last ! God of all creatures and Lord of all 
generations ! who is adored with all manner of praise ; 
who governeth his world with kindness and his crea- 
tures with mercy. The Lord is ever awake : he neither 
slumbereth nor sleepeth: he rouseth those who slum- 
ber, and awakeneth those who sleep. He reviveth the 
dead, healeth the sick, openeth the eyes of the blind, 
and raiseth up those, who are bowed down. He 
causeth the dumb to speak, and revealeth hidden 
things ; and therefore unto him alone we render ador- 
ation. 

And although our mouths were filled with song, 
as the sea, and our tongue with shouting, as the roar- 
ing billows thereof, and our lips with praise, like the 
wide extended firmament, and our eyes with bright- 
ness, like the sun and moon, and our hands spread 
forth, like the towering eagle's wings, and our feet, 
swifter than the hind's ; we should nevertheless be in- 
capable of rendering sufficient thanks unto thee, O 
Lord our God ! or to bless thy name, O our King ! for 
any one of the innumerable blessings, which thou hast 
conferred on us and our ancestors, or the signs and 
wonders, which thou didst perform aforetime. For 
thou, O Lord our God! didst redeem us from Egypt, 
and release us from the house of bondage. In time 
of famine didst thou feed us, and in plenty provide 
for us. Thou didst deliver us from the sword, save 
us from the pestilence, and relieve us from many sore 
diseases. Hitherto thy tender mercies have supported 
us, and thy kindness hath not forsaken us. And 
therefore the members of which thou hast formed us, 



Sabbath Morning Service. 25 

the living spirit and soul which thou hast breathed 
into us, and the tongue which thou hast placed in our 
mouths, behold ! they shall all continually give thanks, 
bless, praise, glorify and sing unto thy name, O our 
King ! For every mouth shall adore thee, every tongue 
shall praise thee, and every eye wait on thee. 

Unto thee every knee shall bend; and those of 
high degree shall bow down before thee. Every 
heart shall fear thee, and the inward parts and reins 
shall sing praises unto thy name, as it is written, 



All my bones shall declare, Who is like unto thee, 
O Lord! And as thou hast said by the lips of the 
inspired prophet: "Look unto me, and be ye saved, 
all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there 
is none else. I have sworn by myself, the word is gone 
out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not re- 
turn, that unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue 
shall swear." 



PRAYER FOR GOVERNMENT. 



Almighty God ! sole ruler and governor of the whole 
universe! Thou who hast created countless systems 
for thy glory! Thou, who fillest all space with 
thy wisdom, truth, order and benevolence, in thy 
boundless mercy, bless, preserve and enlighten the 
President of these United States, together with his 
counsellors, and all the officers of the General and 
State Governments, executive, legislative and judicial. 
O, may a portion of thy divine wisdom fill the halls 
of their assemblies, and direct their hearts and under- 
standings for the honour of thy holy name, and the 
prosperity of our beloved country. May the spirit 
of peace be ever in their counsels, and integrity be 
their leading principle. 



26 Sabbath Morning Service. 

We have reason to bless and extol thy goodness, 
O Lord ! that thou hast numbered us with the inhabi- 
tants of this thy much favoured land, uniting us all 
into one great family, where the noble and virtuous 
mind is the only crown of distinction, and equality 
of rights the only fountain of power. We bless thy 
holy name, that thou hast removed the intolerance of 
bigotry far from out this happy republic, and hast 
relieved the people from the yoke of political and 
religious bondage. May thy redeeming spirit visit 
all the nations of the earth, and may the smiles of 
thy auspicious goodness be a light to the eyes of rulers, 
and the fear of thy justice awaken contrition in the 
heart of the oppressor. Graciously incline thine ear 
to the supplications of thy servants, assembled here this 
day. Bless the people of these United States. May 
sentiments of charity and friendship unite them as 
citizens of one common country. May the lights of 
science and civilization, as the flaming sword of Eden, 
defend them on every side from the subtle hypocrite 
and open adversary. Spread thy benign influence, 
great Author of existence! over all mankind. Grant 
this for the sake of thy supreme excellence and never 
ending mercies, and let us all say, Amen. 

(Here a Hymn by the choir; then the minister reads 
the Parasah, or portion of the Pentateuch, and de- 
livers a Discourse on the same; the choir chaunt an- 
other Hymn; and the minister then says the) 

CONCLUDING PRAYER. 

Thou hast heard our voice, most merciful Father! 
Accept our prayers, for thou art God who hearkenest 
to supplications. Dismiss us not empty from thy 
presence, but purify our spirit by thy grace. Guard 
us, O Lord! at our going out and at our coming in, 
through a happy and peaceable life, from this time and 
for evermore. Amen. 

(End of the Sabbath Morning Service.) 



Prayer after the first Hymn. 27 

MISCELLANEOUS PRAYERS. 



PRAYER AFTER THE FIRST OR OPENING HYMN. 

O, Most High ! How noble hast thou made the office 
of the tongue of man, since by its utterance, he can 
render praises to thy holy name. In the morning, he 
can speak with gratitude of thy protecting kindness 
through the night; at the hour of rest he can thank 
thee for thy faithful guardianship through the day. 
Without instruments of harmonious music; without 
the psaltery or the harp; we yet can raise unto thee 
the "human voice divine," and pour forth the incense 
of our hearts before thy merciful throne. No temple 
dost thou love so well, as the bosom of purity; no 
music is so acceptable to thee as the music of truth, 
humility and piety. These are the inspiring chords 
of. the golden harps of heaven! Truth, humility and 
piety touch their etherial spirits, and give sweetness 
and power to the songs of angels. 

Exalt then, O Lord of creation! our hearts and 
understandings, so that our prayers and thanksgivings 
may be acceptable to thee. Teach us thy ways, that 
we may worthily praise thy glorious works. The 
foolish can never comprehend the least of thy divine 
attributes. The sensual can never enjoy thy holy 
sanctuary. Vice and wickedness must ever meet thy 
displeasure, thy rebuke, thy punishment. The impious, 
the thoughtless, the selfish and the proud, spring up 
only like the morning grass; they flourish for an 
instant, they wither, and are gone for ever. 

But thou, O Lord! who art exalted for evermore, 
wilt preserve the children of thy love. Thou wilt 
raise the humble, who bow down before thee. Thou 
wilt bless the faithful, who put their trust in thee. 
Thou wilt cause thine enemies to be confounded, but 



28 Prater on a Day of Holy Convocation. 

wilt make the righteous to flourish like the palm tree. 
"They shall be planted in the house of the Lord; in 
the courts of our God they shall flourish." They 
shall produce sweet flowers in their youth and rich 
fruits in their maturity and old age. For thou, O 
God ! art our rock, and our living redeemer ; thou wilt 
preserve the remnant of thy people; thou wilt bless 
this congregation for we put our trust in thee, and 
will bless thy holy name for ever and ever. Amen. 



A PRAYER APPROPRIATED TO ANY DAY OF 
HOLY CONVOCATION. 

Three times in the year, hath the God of Israel 
required his people to assemble in holy convocation 
before him; to proclaim and celebrate the feasts of 
their ancestors, instituted for his providential acts 
and mercies: the holy convocation for the feast of 
unleavened bread; the holy convocation for the feast 
of weeks, and the holy convocation for the feast of 
tabernacles. God hath also required his people to 
assemble in holy convocation for the feast of the new 
year, and in holy convocation for the purposes of 
repentance and purifying the spirit on the great day 
of atonement. 

When our ancestors celebrated these great occasions 
of the three festivals, none of them appeared empty 
before the Lord. The richest offering, as well as 
the humblest mite, given with a willing spirit, was 
equally acceptable. Then an independent government, 
a splendid ceremonial and a consecrated priesthood, 
gave dignity and honor to the occasion. The ardour 
of prayer was expressed in numbers of harmony. 
Poetry and music gave life and beauty to the concep- 
tions of the heart, and piety and charity were rendered 
more attractive by the forms of religion, even as 
precious stones are more lovely and dazzling when 
contained "in vessels of gold and silver richly 
wrought." 



Prayer on a Day of Holy Convocation 29 

But to the children of Israel, are now allotted 
another age and another destiny. Forms are less 
appropriate where the mind is more enlightened. 
Customs and ceremonies are changed, and only the 
word of Jehovah remains immutable. We render to 
God, not the fat of lambs, but the offerings of our lips. 
For God will receive that which we offer in sincerity of 
heart. Instead of sacrifices, we present our temper- 
ance, our fortitude and our continence. Instead of 
rich gifts, we offer our humble merits, our good deeds, 
our charitable acts to the throne of grace. 

May it then please thine infinite mercy, O Lord 
God of creation ! to receive our thanksgiving. Instead 
of the harp of David, accept the voices of thy children 
raised in sacred song: instead of an anointed priest, 
accept the ministry of the humblest of thy servants: 
instead of the united cry of all the people of Israel, 
let the prayers and supplications even of this remnant 
be acceptable to thee, O Lord our God and the God of 
our fathers ! for the many favours bestowed upon our 
ancestors in their generation and in their day. But 
especially do we render unto thee, O Father of thy 
people! the devotion of our hearts, in the fulness of 
gratitude for thy manifold mercies and prophecies 
fulfilled in us and in our day. For behold! the days 
are come, saith the Lord, by his prophet Jeremiah, 
"Behold! the days are come, saith the Lord, that I 
will make a new covenant with the house of Israel 
and with the house of Judah. Not according to the 
covenant which I made with their fathers, in the day 
that I took them by the hand to bring them out of 
the land of Egypt, which covenant they brake, although 
I was a husband unto them, saith the Lord. But this 
shall be the covenant that I will make with the house 
of Israel: After those days, saith the Lord, I will 
put my law in their inward parts, and write it in 
their hearts; and I will be their God and they shall be 
my people. And they shall teach no more every man 
his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, 



30 Prayer on Going on a Voyage, &c. 

Know the Lord. For they shall all know me, from 
the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith 
the Lord; for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will 
remember their sins no more." 

©@® 

A PRAYER ON GOING ON A VOYAGE AND 

DURING A STORM AT SEA. 

May our prayer be acceptable in thy presence, O 
Lord our God and the God of our fathers! and for 
the sake of thine attribute of mercy, cause the waters 
to cease from their raging, and still the waves of thy 
great deep. Conduct us speedily to our destined port, 
for the issues of life and death are in thy hands. 
Hearken unto our supplications, even at this present 
hour when we are praying unto thee. Calm the storm, 
and conduct us with kind and gentle breezes. Guard 
us from the tumultuous billows, and from all the perils 
of the sea. Guard us from the lightning and the 
tempest, and the confusion of darkness. Guard us 
from noxious creatures in the sea and on the shore. 
Guard us from dangers by water and by fire, from the 
robber and the pirate, from the enemies of our coun- 
try, and from every adversary, obstruction, injury or 
fear. 

From thy treasury of the elements, O God of all! 
send forth a favourable wind. May all who have charge 
of the vessel be faithful and vigilant, active and skil- 
ful in directing or obeying, that so we may speedily 
and safely be brought to our destined port. Thou 
who madest the sea, canst still the waves thereof; 
thou who didst create the winds, canst allay their 
rage. O Lord God! guard our souls which depend 
upon thee, and deliver us from all evil. As we put 
our trust in thee, let us never be confounded. And 
as for us all, we will bless thy name, O Lord! from 
henceforth and for evermore. Amen. 



Public Thanksgiving For Deliverance. 31 

PRIVATE THANKSGIVING FOR DELIVERANCE. 

Lord of the universe ! permit my humble voice to as- 
cend even unto thee. Let me approach thy gracious 
presence, and pour forth my soul before thy mercy 
seat. O my God ! thou hast been bountiful unto thy 
servant, thou hast blessed me beyond my deserts. Thou 
hast led me by thine Almighty hand, through all the 
various dangers, that attend this transitory life, and 
hast brought me, by thy signal mercies, to a happy 
issue of all my troubles. May this thy goodness teach 
me more and more to love thy will and venerate thy 
holy name. And grant, O God ! that some good end 
of usefulness may bless my remaining days, so that 
all my future actions may be pleasing in thy sight, 
and that I may hereafter be accounted worthy of 
thine everlasting love. Amen. 

##© 

PUBLIC THANKSGIVING FOR A SIGNAL 

DELIVERANCE. 

{Among other occasions upon which we should return 
thanks to the Almighty, the following are particu- 
larly enumerated. 1. Returning in safety from a 
voyage; 2. Returning in safety from a long or dan- 
gerous journey; 3. Returning in safety from war; 
4. Release from prison or bondage; 5. Recovery 
from sickness; 6. Extraordinary deliverance from 
any danger. For any one of these blessings thanks 
are to be given to God on the Sabbath, if the party 
desire it, publicly in the congregation, and the minis- 
ter after the Discourse, shall return thanks thus:) 

Blessed art thou, O Lord our God ! King of the uni- 
verse! who bestowest blessings on all thy creatures, 
however undeserving, and dost especially guard and 
protect thy servants, who put their trust in thee. We 
thank thy providence for thy mercy manifested unto 
A. B. who is now restored in safety to his family and 
friends, and whom thy goodness hath saved from 
many dangers and disasters. Blessed and exalted be 
the name of the Lord of mercy! May his infinite 



32 Private and Public Prayers for the Sick. 

goodness continue to guard A. B. who desires thus 
publicly to express his gratitude for favours received. 
May his infinite goodness protect and guard this con- 
gregation; bless all his creatures, and bountifully be- 
stow on them all good, here and hereafter. So shall 
their hearts be filled with joy and gratitude, and thy 
children exalt their voices in thy praise, as it is written : 
"They shall give thanks to the Lord for his goodness ; 
let them exalt him in the congregation of the people." 
Amen. 

@® @ 
PRIVATE PRAYER FOR THE SICK. 

O Lord! answer and compassionate me, for I am 
full of distress, and humbled in mine afflictions. I am 
bowed down with weakness as a child, and without thy 
aid, how shall I bear my troubles. O, that my deeds 
had been worthy thy approbation, then had my soul 
been satisfied and my heart rejoiced. Yet, do thou, 
O Lord; regard my contrition, hear my prayer, and 
lend thy mercy even as a staff for my support. O 
Lord! pains and evils are inherited with the nature 
of man, yet my soul shall not be shaken by their ap- 
proach. For, on whom shall I call for help but on 
thee? And where shall I rest my hope but in thy 
mercies? Were my days of sorrow lengthened to the 
number of mine offences, yet, O Lord! I would still 
bless thy name and thy dispensations, for thou art my 
consolation, the resting place of my soul. Then, 
wherefore should I complain? I will resign myself to 
thy will, for thou, O Lord! art the author of my 
being, and wilt not destroy the work, which thou hast 
made. Then shall I profit from my woes, and at all 
times rest in thy hands ; for thou, O Lord God ! art my 
saviour and my living redeemer. Amen. 

PUBLIC PRAYER FOR THE SICK. 

God of mercy and of power! who hast created the 
world and all that therein is by thy word; who gov- 
ernest thy creatures by thine attribute of mercy; who 



Prayer For One Dying. . 33 

redeemest and deliverest all who put their trust in 
thee; who art near unto such as call upon thee; who 
answerest in the hour of distress those that fear thee ; 
mayst thou have mercy and compassion on us and on 
all thy people of the house of Israel. Mayst thou help 
and protect all families and congregations that lan- 
guish in trouble and affliction. O God! that thou 
wouldst be pleased to remember, deliver, protect and 
heal A. B. who now languishes in sickness and afflic- 
tion. He is now lying on the couch of pain, intreat- 
ing the Lord his God to grant him mercy, grace, health, 
peace and life. Mayst thou, the merciful author of 
health and of life, protect, compassionate and save 
him ! May his days be multiplied, his actions virtuous, 
and his piety be true, faithful and ardent towards 
thee. Ordain in his favour good decrees; enlighten 
his mind and purify his heart, and incline him to obey 
thy laws and to be rilled with gratitude towards thee, 
for thine infinite mercies. So mayst thou, King of 
mercy! open to thy servant A. B. the gates of health, 
and expiation; for thou O God! Art the living re- 
deemer of thy children as it is written ; "The salvation 
of the righteous is of the Lord : he is their strength in 
the time of trouble." Blessed be the name of the God 
of mercy, for evermore. Amen. 

PRAYER FOR ONE DYING. 

Thou, O Lord God! art righteous, and thy judg- 
ments are built upon wisdom. Mercy is to be found in 
all thy ways, and beneficence in all thy works. Thy 
law is the law of eternal truth ; thy decrees are the de- 
crees of unsearchable power. Who shall question 
thy goodness, ignorant as we are of thy purposes ? 
Who shall limit thy power, feeble as we are in our 
mortal nature? Thou who bestowest life, canst take 
life away; Thou who breathedst into man an immor- 
tal spirit, canst redeem his soul from sin and all its 
consequences, and re-unite it to an immortal form. 
Praised be thy decrees; blessed be thy kingdom, thy 
glory and thy mercy, for evermore. Amen. 



34 Morning and Evening Prayers. 

Sovereign of the universe ! Lord of forgiveness and 
mercy ! May my prayer be acceptable in thy presence, 
O Lord my God and the God of my fathers ! Suffer 
my memorial to ascend before the throne of thy glory, 
for good. O, behold my affliction, for there is no 
soundness in my flesh, because of thine anger. 

Hear, O Israel ! The Lord is our God : The Lord is 
one. The Lord he is God; the Lord he is God. The 
Lord hath reigned, the Lord reigneth, the Lord shall 
reign for ever and ever. 

Moses is true, and his law is true. 

I have waited for thy salvation, O Lord! 

Rejoice the soul of thy servant; for unto thee, O 
Lord, do I lift up my soul. 

Into thy hand do I commit my spirit, for thou, O 
God of truth! hast redeemed me. 

#©@ 
MORNING PRAYER. 

Merciful God ! I bless thy holy name, for I am the 
creature of thy hands. Thou hast imparted to my 
being a portion of thy divine spirit, thou hast formed 
me after thine own image. Let me not pervert this 
gift of thy beneficence, by the indulgence of my pas- 
sions, but assist me to fulfil those precepts, which thou 
hast addressed to my understanding, and written in 
the recesses of my heart. I thank thee, O God! that 
thou hast given a healing repose to my pillow, and hast 
again unveiled to mine eyes the beauties of creation. 

Incline my heart, Sovereign of the universe! to 
yield entire submission to thy will, and to testify at all 
times my gratitude for the favours received at thy 
paternal hand. Suffer not my unworthiness to stay my 
supplications, but let thine attribute of mercy admit 
and receive them before thy throne. Strengthen my 
desires to accomplish those duties for which I have 
been created ; dispose my heart to virtue, and let my 
actions, by thy divine grace, be acceptable in thy sight. 
Amen. 



Grace before and after Meat. 35 

EVENING PRAYER. 

Blessed art thou, O Lord our God ! king of the uni- 
verse! Who, by thy word, causest the evening to ad- 
vance ; who, by thy wisdom changest times and variest 
seasons ; who by thy power, hast disposed the stars in 
their stations in the heavens, according to thy will. 
Thou, O God ! didst create the blessed light, and cause 
the day to recede before the darkness, and the darkness 
before the day. Thou spreadest the shadows of even- 
ing over the earth, that all thy creatures may rest 
from labour. Accept, O God ! our humble thanks for 
this day's life and blessings, and so incline our hearts to 
piety and virtue, that each night we may retire to re- 
pose better deserving thine abundant mercies. Guard 
our couch from evil, and bestow, O God! on the 
blessed and on the unfortunate, on the oppressed and 
on the poor, on the wearied in body and in spirit, the 
balm of refreshing sleep, and thy gracious protection. 
Amen. 

GRACE BEFORE MEAT. 

Blessed art thou, O Lord our God! King of the 
universe, who bringest forth bread from the earth ; and 
who by thy mercy, givest food unto all thy creatures. 
Amen. 

#@@ 
GRACE AFTER MEAT. 

Blessed art thou, merciful Father! who sustainest 
us, but not for the merits of our works, who cherishest 
us, but not for our righteousness, who does bestow 
thy bounty on all thy creatures, and with grace, kind- 
ness, mercy and beneficence, givest food unto the world. 
As thy goodness hath never failed us, so may we 
never be in want of sustenance. As it is written: 
"Thou openest thy hand, and satisfiest the desire of 
every living thing." Blessed art thou, O Lord! who 
givest, and to spare. — Amen. 



36 Ceremony of Circumcision. 



CEREMONY OF CIRCUMCISION. 

(On the eighth day after the birth of a son, if the in- 
fant be in health, the ceremony of circumcision takes 
place as usual at the dwelling of the parents or 
guardians, and in presence of not less than three 
witnesses, according to the words of Moses, "At the 
mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three 
witnesses, shall the matter be established." The 
Godmother delivers the child into the hands of the 
Godfather; and the operator says:) 

Blessed art thou, O Lord our God ! King of the uni- 
verse ! who hast sanctified us with thy commandments, 
and commanded us to observe circumcision. 

(And after the operation, the following:) 

Creator of all things! O preserve this child to his 
father and mother, his relations, his friends and his 
country. May his parents rejoice in his birth, and may 
he honour them in youth, comfort them in their old 
age, and be a blessing to them all his days. By thy 
divine permission we name this child A. B. of the 
house of Israel and of the great family of mankind. 
Almighty God ! be pleased in thy mercy to protect and 
cherish this infant; cause him to live in peace and 
justice with all men; to obey thy precepts and com- 
mandments, and to avoid all evil practices. May he 
live to merit thy holy protection and favour, thou who 
art redeemer from the beginning to all eternity. 
AmJen. 

(He then takes the child, and says the following:) 

Thou hast been pleased, O kind Parent of creation ! 
to make the human race the object of thy peculiar care. 



Ceremony of Circumcision. 37 

Thou hast exalted man high in the scale of being, and 
ennobled his nature, for those benevolent and wise pur- 
poses, which are known only to thee. Thou hast 
spread thy bounties for his sustenance, and given him 
thy statutes for his salvation. O, make us grateful 
for all thy manifold blessings and instruct us to com- 
prehend thy will, as it is written : "Praise waiteth for 
thee, O God ! in Zion ; and unto thee shall the vow be 
performed. O thou, that hearest prayer! unto thee 
shall all flesh come." Parent of life! thou hast been 
pleased to bring into being this child of thy creation, 
and by thy divine permission we call his name A. B. 

May he be blessed : 

With the blessing of pious gratitude to thee. 

With the blessing of filial duty and affection. 

With the blessing of an upright and charitable 
disposition. 

With the blessing of a meek spirit and of a sound 
understanding. 

With the blessing of connubial happiness and love. 

With the blessing of parental joys and good acts. 

With the blessing of health and of length of days. 

And with the blessing of a future and happy life. 

( Then sa$* the following, first in Hebrew and then in 
English, from Psalm 121.) 

The Lord is thy keeper. The Lord is thy shade 
upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by 
day, nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve 
thee from all evil; he shall preserve thy soul. The 
Lord shall preserve thy going out, and thy coming in, 
from this time forth, and even for evermore. Amen. 



38 Ceremony of Naming a Daughter. 



CEREMONY OF NAMING A DAUGHTER. 

{At the expiration of six weeks, or as soon after as 
convenient, from the infant's birth, the mother or 
godmother holding the child, the minister pronounces 
the following prayer:) 

Thou hast been pleased, O kind Parent of creation ! 
to make the human race the object of thy peculiar care. 
Thou hast exalted man high in the scale of being, and 
ennobled his nature for those benevolent and wise pur- 
poses, which are known only to thee. Thou hast 
spread thy bounties for his sustenance, and given him 
thy statutes for his salvation. O ! make us grateful for 
all thy manifold blessings and instruct us to compre- 
hend thy will, as it is written: "Praise waiteth for 
thee, O God ! in Zion ; and unto thee shall the vow be 
performed. O, thou that hearest prayer! unto thee 
shall all flesh come.'' Parent of life ! Thou hast been 
pleased to bring into being this child of thy creation, 
and by thy divine permission we call her name A. B. 

May she be blessed : 

With the blessing of pious gratitude to thee. 

With the blessing of filial duty and affection. 

With the blessing of an upright and charitable dis- 
position. 

With the blessing of a meek spirit and of a sound 
understanding. 

With the blessing of connubial happiness and love. 

With the blessing of maternal joys and good acts. 

With the blessing of health and of length of days. 

And with the blessing of a future and happy life. 

(Then say the following, first in Hebrew and then in 
English, from Psalm 121.) 



Ceremony of Naming a Daughter. 39 

The Lord is thy keeper. Thy Lord is thy shade 
upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by 
day, nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve 
thee from all evil; he shall preserve thy soul. The 
Lord shall preserve thy going out, and thy coming in, 
from this time forth, and even for evermore. Amen. 

(It is enjoined on the Minister after naming a child of 
either sex, to exhort the godfather and godmother as 
to the nature of the duties they assume, to instruct 
them in the moral responsibility they have under- 
taken: to show them that they become, as it were, 
the spiritual parents of the child: that they bind 
themselves to assist its natural parents, in educating 
it in the paths of virtue and religion: and that in 
case of the death of the latter, they are bound to act 
as parents and guardians to the offspring. 

If a child receive its name in the synagogue, it is to 
be brought thither when three or four months old, 
and placed in the hands of the minister or godfather. 
After the conclusion of the Sabbath Morning Ser- 
vice, the minister then proceeds, in the presence of 
the congregation, with the before recited prayers.) 



40 Burial Service. 



BURIAL SERVICE. 

(The corpse being laid by the side of the grave, the 
following prayer is offered up, acknowledging the 
justice of God's decrees.) 

Thou, O Lord ! art righteous, and thy judgments are 
upright. The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and 
beneficent in all his works. Thy righteousness is ever- 
lasting righteousness, and thy law is truth. The judg- 
ments of the Lord are true, and uniformly just. Where 
the word of the King is, there is power : and who can 
say unto him, What dost thou? For he is of one 
mind, and who can alter it? and what his spirit de- 
sireth, that he doeth. He is the rock of salvation and 
his work is perfect, for all his ways are just; the God 
of truth in whom there is no iniquity : just and upright 
is he. He is the true judge, and judgeth with right- 
eousness and truth. Blessed be the true judge, for all 
his judgments are just and true. 

Where shall wisdom be found? and where is the 
fountain of knowledge? Happy is the man, who 
hath found wisdom, and the man, who hath obtained 
knowledge. — How great is thy goodness, which thou 
hast reserved for all that fear thee! which thou hast 
wrought for those that trust in thee, in the sight of the 
sons of men! How excellent is thy tender mercy, O 
God ! and therefore do the children of men take refuge 
under the shadow of thy wings. They shall be satis- 
fied with the abundance of thy house; and thou wilt 
cause them to drink of the brook of thy pleasures. 

A good name is more fragrant than rich perfume; 
and the day of death better than the day of one's birth. 
The sum of the matter, after all hath been heard, is to 
fear God and to keep his commandments ; for this is the 
whole duty of man. Let the pious be joyful in glory ; 
let them sing aloud upon their beds. 



Burial Service. 41 

May it be consistent with the will of God, that the 
portion and tranquil abode of the soul of our deceased 
brother may be found in the goodly heritage of the 
future state. May the spirit of God lead him into 
paradise, having departed from this world according 
to the will of God, the Lord of heaven and earth. May 
the King of kings, through his infinite mercy, hide 
him under the shadow of his wings, and in the secret 
place of his tabernacle, to behold the beauty of the 
Lord, and to inquire in his temple. May he raise him 
at the end of days, and cause him to drink at the brook 
of his pleasures. May he cause his soul to be one of 
the assembly of life, and his rest to be glorious. May 
the Lord be his inheritance, and grant him peace, as it 
is written, he shall come in peace. May he, and all the 
people of Israel that lie in the dust, be included in 
mercy and forgiveness, and thus be acceptable, and 
let us all say, Amen. 

(After the Interment, say,) 

He shall utterly destroy death for ever; and the 
Lord God shall wipe away the tears from all faces; 
and the reproach of his people shall he remove 
throughout the whole earth, for the Lord hath spoken 
it. Thy dead men shall live, thy deceased shall arise. 
Awake and sing, ye that dwell in the dust, for your 
dew is as the dew of herbs ; and the earth shall cast 
forth the dead. And he, being merciful, forgiveth in- 
iquity and destroyeth not; yea, he frequently turneth 
away his anger, and awakeneth not all his wrath. 
Save us, O Lord! May the heavenly King answer 
us when we call. Amen. 



42 Burial Service For a Woman. 



BURIAL SERVICE FOR A WOMAN. 

Who can find a virtuous woman ? for her price is far 
above rubies. Give her of the fruit of her hands, and 
let her own works praise her. 

O, most Merciful ! to whom mercy appertaineth ; who 
spoke and the worlds were created ; both this and that 
future world, where the souls of the righteous and 
pious women who performed his will, live for ever. 
May it be in the order of thy providence, that thy 
good spirit should lead into paradise the soul of our 
deceased sister, who hath now departed from this 
world, according to the will of God, the Lord of 
heaven and earth; and that the King of kings, through 
his infinite mercy, may have pity and compassion upon 
her, and grant her peace. May her repose be in peace ; 
as it is written, he shall come in peace, they shail have 
rest, every one walking in his uprightness. May she, 
and all the daughters of Israel, who sleep in the dust 
with her, be included in mercy and forgiveness, and 
thus be acceptable, and let us all say, Amen. 

(After the Interment, say,) 

He shall utterly destroy death for ever; and the 
Lord God shall wipe away the tears from all faces, and 
the reproach of his people shall he remove through- 
out the whole earth, for the Lord hath spoken it. Thy 
dead shall live, thy deceased shall arise. Awake and 
sing, ye that dwell in the dust, for your dew is as the 
dew of herbs ; and the earth shall cast forth the dead. 
And he, being merciful, forgiveth iniquity and de- 
stroyeth not; yea, he frequently turneth away his 
anger, and awakeneth not all his wrath. Save us, O 
Lord ! May the heavenly King answer us when we call. 
Amen. 



Prayers for the House of Mourning. 43 



PRAYERS TO BE OFFERED UP IN THE 
HOUSE OF MOURNING. 

I will pour out my soul before the Lord, for he is my 
glory and my strength. I will call upon the name of 
the Lord, for he is gracious, yea, he will be merciful ; 
he is compassionate and full of goodness ; he will sup- 
port the meek in the day of trial, as he hath said, and 
heal the wounds of the broken heart. 

Can the grave shut out immortality ? or shall corrup- 
tion say unto the living God what dost thou? Then 
why art thou cast down, O my soul ! The Lord is thy 
salvation and the rock of thy defence. I will consider 
the ways of the Lord, for they are the ways of peace. 
I will consider thy mercies, O my Maker ! for they are 
my trust. How vain is the help of the ungodly ! How 
idle the vanity and the pride of the wicked ! Can the 
works of mortal man hide the guilty from thy pres- 
ence ? or shall riches purchase thy regard ? The vile are 
exalted only for a season ; they are made rich with the 
substance of the oppressed, but are cut down in a mo- 
ment, and consume away like stubble thrown into the 
fire. For the widow's cry shall be heard in heaven, 
and the orphan's tear shall blot out their remembrance 
from among the sons of men. 

I will hold fast integrity and piety, and they shall 
preserve my soul. I will cling to justice and to virtue 
as the seeds of my salvation, for the Lord shall refresh 
and strengthen me with his blessings, as the tender 
herb with the dew of the morning. Though sorrow 
hath taken fast hold upon me, and I am greatly afflicted, 
the Lord will become my consolation, for he alone can 
save. 

The death of the upright is the beginning of eternal 
life, for this world is a state of probation; and the 
Lord rejoices in the purity of his creatures. Gracious 
is the Lord and righteous, yea, he is merciful to the 



44 Prayers for the House of Mourning. 

meek in spirit for he pitieth the simple and preserveth 
them. He will compassionate the humble and contrite 
in heart, and will save their souls alive. Return unto 
thy rest, O my soul ! and glory in the name of thy re- 
deemer ; for he is the everlasting God, by whose mercy 
I shall stand firm. I will pay my vows unto the Lord 
as long as I live; I will render praises unto his holy 
name for all his benefits. I will offer the sacrifice of 
thanksgiving, and bow before the Lord in the pres- 
ence of the whole earth ; and to him be glory, for ever 
and ever. Amen. 

{Then say, first in Hebrew, and afterwards in Eng- 
lish, the 49th Psalm.) 

Hear this, all ye people; give ear all ye inhabitants 
of the world, both high and low, rich and poor to- 
gether. My mouth shall speak of wisdom, and the 
meditation of my heart shall be of understanding. They 
that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the 
multitude of their riches, can by no means redeem 
their brother, nor give unto God" a ransom for him. 
For the redemption of their souls is precious, and it is 
even impossible that they should live for ever, and not 
see the grave. For wise men die; yea, the fool and 
the prudent person perish together, and leave their 
wealth to others. The inward thought of the foolish 
is that their houses shall continue for ever, and their 
dwelling places to all generations ; they call their lands 
after their own names. But their enjoyment of honour 
endureth not; they are like the beasts that perish. 
Their way is caused by their folly, yet their posterity 
approve their sayings. Like sheep prepared for the 
slaughter, they are laid in the grave; death shall feed 
upon them; and the upright shall have dominion over 
them in the morning, and their form shall be consumed 
in the grave from their proud dwellings. But God 
will redeem my soul from the power of the grave ; for 
he will receive me. Be not thou dismayed, when a 
man is made rich, when the glory of his house is in- 



Prayers for the House of Mourning. 45 

creased. For when he dieth he shall carry nothing 
away ; his glory shall not descend after him. Though 
while he lived he enjoyed his soul, (and men will 
praise thee when thou doest well to thyself,) he shall 
go to the generation of his fathers; they shall never 
see light. Man that standeth in honour and knoweth 
it not, becometh like the creatures that perish. 

{Then conclude thus:) 

Hearken unto my prayers, O Lord ! and answer me 
in my supplications. My spirit is overwhelmed with 
grief, and I am made desolate with afflictions. Thou 
hast searched me and knowest my heart ; thou hast 
tried me and knowest my thoughts. Though I am 
sorely troubled, thou canst comfort me; thou canst 
stretch forth thy hand and save me in my distress. I 
will call upon the Lord in mine afflictions, and he will 
deliver me; yea, he will save the souls of those who 
trust in him ; even from the grave will he rescue them. 
The Lord will incline his ear to them who call upon 
his name. Let us then walk in the precepts of the Lord, 
and follow the ways of truth. They who sleep the 
sleep of death, shall awake in the likeness of the Lord, 
and dwell in his presence for evermore. They shall 
behold him and be satisfied. 

God is exalted in the heavens ; he dwelleth in the im- 
mensity of his glory. The wicked cannot flee his search- 
ing spirit: the righteous are ever before his all-seeing 
eye. Who shall escape his presence? If I ascend into 
heaven, thou art there; if I make my bed in hell, 
behold thou art there; if I take the wings of the 
morning, and dwell in the uttermost part of the sea, 
even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right 
hand shall hold me. Let the righteous rejoice, for God 
is ever present. I will trust in thy word, for thou wilt 
defend me from the terrors of the night, arid dry mine 
eyes in sleep. Weep not, ye faithful, for the Lord re- 
joiceth in the death of the upright: or, weep in re- 
signation, for they who sow in tears shall reap in joy. 
They shall be as the refreshing showers of the spring. 



46 Prayers for the House of Mourning. 

They shall overflow the heart, and righteousness shall 
spring forth. Let us love that God whatever may be 
his dispensations, for he is perfect in truth and justice. 
He hath given us a foundation lasting as his word, 
for the faith and hopes of man; he hath shown us 
the vanity of earthly glory. He alone is the Redeemer 
and Saviour in whom we trust, as it is written in the 
book of wisdom: "For I know that my redeemer liv- 
eth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the 
earth: and although my very skin be consumed, yet 
in my flesh shall I see God, whom I shall see for my- 
self, and mine own eyes, and not another's shall behold 
for me, though my reins be consumed within me." 
Let us then build our hope only on the Lord our God, 
who created and who will preserve. He is the rock 
of salvation. Let us sing praises unto his holy name 
for ever and ever. Amen. 

{And at the end of the days of mourning, add,) 

Thy sun shall go down no more, neither shall thy 
moon change; for the Lord shall be thine everlasting 
light. And the days of thy mourning shall be ended, 
as it is written : "As one whom his mother comforteth, 
so will I comfort you, and in the Kingdom of Heaven 
shall ye all be comforted." Amen. 

{Mourners add the following in the blessing after 
meals, during the seven day\s:) 

We will bless him, who comforteth the mourner. 
Ever praised be his name, who comforteth the afflicted, 
of whose gifts we have eaten, and through whose 
abundant goodness we all live. Amen. 



Marriage Ceremony. 47 



MARRIAGE CEREMONY. 

( The bride and bridegroom, accompanied by parent, 
sponsor or guardian, are placed opposite to each other, 
under a canopy, in the presence of not less than three 
witnesses, and the minister says:) 

Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the uni- 
verse! who hast sanctified us with thy command- 
ments. Thou hast hallowed the institution of marriage, 
blessing its fruits, and purifying connubial love with 
the spirit of thy holy law. Blessed art thou, O Lord 
of all creatures! who hast made Israel the depos- 
itory of thy commandents unto thy children, and hast 
given unto man a helpmate and companion, to multiply 
his virtuous enjoyments and to be his best friend in 
adversity. 

(The Bridegroom then places the ring on the Bride's 
finger, and says:) 

Behold, thou art wedded to me, with this ring, ac- 
cording to the law of Moses. 

(And the Bride answers,) 

I accept this ring in token of the bond of marriage. 

(The contract of marriage is then read, which shall 
specify that A. B. agrees to take C. D. as his 
lawful wife, according to the law of Moses, that he 
will keep, maintain, honour and cherish her, accord- 
ing to the manner of all Jews, and all good men, and 
that he will treat her as a friend and companion, be 
true to his faith, and love and protect her always.) 



48 Marriage Ceremony. 

(The minister then repeats the following benedic- 
tions. ) 

Blessed art thou O Lord our God, King of the uni- 
verse! who hast created every thing for thy glory, 
and for the happiness of thy creatures. Blessed art 
thou, mysterious and merciful Lord! who, having 
formed man in the likeness of the image thine Angels 
assume, when they bear thy commands of love or of 
wrath unto men, wilt hereafter prepare for him, in 
the same image, an everlasting fabric. 

Blessed art thou, Lord of all generations ! who didst 
create man, male and female thou didst create them, 
and didst command them to love and to assist each 
other. For the earth must be cultivated by the sweat 
of man's brow, and thou hast given him a companion 
to lighten his toil. 

Blessed art thou, O Lord! who causest Zion to re- 
joice in the gathering of her children; even Zion that 
was barren, shall rejoice in her strength, as our first 
parents rejoiced in the Garden of Eden. Blessed art 
thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe ! who hast 
given unto man the affections of the heart; who 
has created joy and virtuous gladness; who causest 
the aged to smile, and the young to perform thy com- 
mandments; who hast instituted bridegroom and 
bride, love and brotherhood, delight and hope, peace 
and friendship. Let us all give thanks unto the Lord, 
for his mercy endureth for ever. May joys increase 
in Israel, may sighs flee far away. Amen. 

(The minister then exhorts the married couple con- 
cerning the duties of the connubial state; after which 
the bridegroom salutes the bride, and joy and happi- 
ness are wished to all. ) 



Prayer for the New Year & Day of Atonement. 49 

A PRAYER FOR THE NEW-YEAR AND FOR 
THE DAY OF ATONEMENT. 

Almighty God! Sovereign of the universe! we as- 
semble in thy temple, in holy convocation before thee. 
As thou hast commanded, and as our hearts and dis- 
positions dictate, in gratitude, in meekness and in piety, 
do we approach thy consecrated altars. We are deeply 
sensible of thy past mercies, and we implore thy kind 
consideration for our future transgressions. For it is 
the lot of thy frail and imperfect creatures to err, and 
thine attribute, O God of love and compassion, to for- 
give. 

May the New Year be opened unto us, even as the 
gates of life and happiness unto the righteous! May 
charity and forgiveness dwell in our bosoms, and jus- 
tice and wisdom direct our actions ! 

As blessings have crowned the past year, so may 
that upon which we are now entering, open upon us as 
a new deliverance from temporal evils and worldly ca- 
lamities. May it serve as a perpetual memorial of the 
deliverance of our fore-fathers from bondage unto 
liberty ! May it likewise serve to attach us to the land 
of our deliverance, and to awaken our sympathies in 
behalf of the oppressed and persecuted of all our fellow 
men throughout the world. 

May all of us who are gathered here in thy pres- 
ence, Almighty Father of all mankind, duly appre- 
ciate the object and the occasion for which we have 
met together. May we begin with renewed hope and 
increased confidence, our pursuits of usefulness, piety 
and love! 

"May we be answered, and our petitions mercifully 
granted from heaven! May our supplications be ac- 
cepted, our prayers be favourably heard, and our voice 
of praise and gratitude be speedily received, with mercy 
and favour ! May the Lord our God, unfold unto us, 
unto all Israel, and unto all mankind, the gates of 
light, blessing, joy, and gladness; of prosperity, kind 
fellowship and compassion; of expiation and instruc- 
tion ; of consolation, help, forgiveness and salvation ; of 



50 A Prayer For the Sabbath. 

redemption, charity, acceptance and perfect faith; of 
peace and tranquility; of the knowledge of thy law, 
and of heart born prayer. May the Lord our God re- 
move from among us, all manner of envy, hatred, and 
contention; and may the sentence which is written in 
his law be fulfilled in us, and in our posterity unto all 
eternity." All these things may God in his infinite 
mercy grant, and let us all say, Amen. 

@® ® 

A PRAYER FOR THE SABBATH. 

Almighty God! we appear before thine altars to 
return our thanks, and to manifest our gratitude for 
the mercies and blessings which thy bounty hath vouch- 
safed to us during the past week. 

We invoke thine aid to relieve us from pain, anxiety 
and disease, and to assist us in the duties which belong 
to us, as members of the great human family. We im- 
plore thy forgiveness for past transgressions, and pray 
that thou wouldst direct us into the paths of piety and 
rectitude. 

We are sensible that we are frail, imperfect, and 
short sighted beings, and that we are sustained and 
supported in our pilgrimage through life, not by the 
abundance of our good actions, nor the small number 
of our misdeeds, but solely by thy mercy, and thy for- 
giveness, extended to all thy creatures. As children 
of one common parent, as finite beings dependent upon 
thy will, and at all times subject to thy punishment, or 
reward, we seek to merit thy favour by humility, pa- 
tience and zeal, in the discharge of our religious and 
moral duties. 

May it then please thee O, Lord of creation ! to smile 
on our humble and sincere efforts, in the cause of 
virtue and piety, so that thy children of the house of 
Judah and of Israel, throughout the world, may hence- 
forth incline their hearts unto thee, in the cultivation 
of true piety, and in the performance of those deeds 
of kindness and charity, which flow from benevolent 
feelings and good fellowship. 



A Prayer For Pentecost. 51 

And, O God ! we beseech thee to enlighten the minds, 
and to open the hearts of all, who walk not in the ways 
of salvation, and who from evil habits, and irreligious 
dispositions, have become insensible of their obligations 
to themselves, their families and their Creator. Turn 
their hearts aside from an unreasonable attachment to 
temporal blessings, and awaken them to the magnitude 
and importance of their eternal destinies. Lead them, 
O Lord ! to thy mercy seat, as the fountain of purity, of 
all justice, of all wisdom, and of all love. Make them 
to understand that through thy power they live, and 
breathe, and have their being; and that before thee 
they are destined to be judged in the great world of 
spirits. Amen. 

@® ® 

A PRAYER FOR PENTECOST. 

Almighty God ! Sovereign and Governor of the uni- 
verse! we praise, glorify, and extol thy name. In 
meekness and submission, and with hearts filled with 
a just sense of gratitude for thy mercies and blessings, 
we approach thy presence! With reverence and 
humility, do we pour forth our thanksgivings unto thee, 
as the Author of our earthly existence, as our only 
hope of happiness here, and of salvation hereafter. 
With thine outstretched arm, hast thou sent forth 
worlds, and by thine all-powerful will, thou hast cre- 
ated "years and seasons" Even now at thy command 
the frosts and gloom of winter, yield to the opening 
buds of spring. Thou hast delivered us from the in- 
clemencies of cold, and hast called forth around thy 
creatures, as it were, a new creation. Thou hast sent 
down the gentle and refreshing rains of heaven to re- 
vive and beautify the field and the garden. Thou hast 
sent thy nourishing dews to moisten the earth, and in 
due season thou wilt send forth thine abundant fruits 
to bless, and reward the labours of man. The sun, 
obedient to thy will, has shone with friendly beams to 
give new life and strength to the young and tender 



52 A Prayer For Pentecost. 

trees. Thy waters, thy fountains, thy mists and thy 
springs, are daily renewed by thine abounding and 
never failing resources; while myriads of plants and 
herbs come forth in their beauty and loveliness, with 
a profusion beyond the skill of man to number. 

All this thou hadst done, even before thou didst 
create man to enjoy thy goodness. We should be, 
therefore, altogether unworthy of thy love and pro- 
tection, as dependent beings; we should be defiled by 
ingratitude and blind to our duty as moral agents, did 
we fail to give thanks, to bless, and adore thy holy 
name. In thee do we constantly behold a Father, sus- 
taining by his power and nourishing by his manifold 
goodness, his helpless and imperfect children. 

O, may we then be grateful unto thee, O Lord our 
God! for thy numberless blessings. May we ever be 
obedient unto thy precepts, and keep in memory thy 
covenant with Abraham. May we ever be mindful of 
thy signal mercies on Mount Moriah, and of the salva- 
tion of thy people, when their enemies were swallowed 
up by the deep. May we never rise unmindful of thy 
goodness, nor lie down, before we bow gratefully unto 
thee. All the inhabitants of the earth shall sing praises 
unto thy name, for thou art the Father of all mankind, 
and thy bounty is over all thy creatures. They shall all 
lift up their voice to pronounce thy name, O mightiest 
of the mighty! for thou only canst create and canst 
destroy. The rich shall bow down with submission 
before thee, for to thee alone shall they look for end- 
less blessings. The poor shall bend the knee to thee, 
for from thee only shall spring great riches. The 
upright shall repose confidence in thee, for by thy will 
they shall be made mighty. The weak and infirm shall 
bless thee, O Lord! for from thee only, can they re- 
ceive strength and fortitude. Around thine altars shall 
the righteous of the earth assemble throughout the 
earth; for to praise, and glorify, and love thee, Al- 
mighty and benevolent Father, to walk in thy ways of 
pleasantness and peace, is the perfection of all virtue 
and happiness, from henceforth unto all eternity. 
Amen. 



Mode of Confirmation. 53 



MODE OF CONFIRMATION. 

(Any one born of Jewish parents, not under the age 
of thirteen, and desirous of expressing his belief in 
the Jewish faith, may, on any Sabbath, make de- 
claration of the same and be confirmed therein as 
follows. He advances to the minister's desk, and 
says:) 

Youth. Here, in the presence of this congregation, 
and in the presence of that gracious God whose good- 
ness has endowed me with reason, I desire to declare 
my firm and religious belief in the divine origin of the 
moral law, and in the great articles of the Jewish faith. 
I desire to appear in the presence of heaven and earth, 
an Israelite according to the faith and customs of the 
Reformed Society of Israelites, in whose temple of 
worship I now stand. 

Minister. My son, dost thou act from thine own 
free will, and is this the wish of thy heart and the con- 
viction of thy understanding? 

Youth. It is. I have been taught to love the paths 
of piety and virtue ; I hope to follow them. Through 
God's goodness, I also hope that I comprehend the es- 
sential points of our excellent religion, and I shall 
strive with my best endeavours, to observe and practice 
through life its moral and pious doctrines. 

Minister. Repeat, my son, the articles of that re- 
ligious creed which thou hast adopted, and in which 
thy parents and guardians, assisted by thine own in- 
dustry, have happily instructed thee. Repeat their., in 
sincerity and truth ; for the offering thou art about to 



54 Mode of Confirmation. 

make, must be a free will offering to God. If any 
compulsion hath been exercised towards thee, the sin 
of hypocrisy will be thine, in declaring that which is 
not in thy heart, and the sin of tyranny and impiety on 
those, who have brought thee hither against thy will. 
Repeat to me, then, the articles of our holy faith. 

Youth. I repeat them freely, with sincerity, and 
truth. 

(He repeats the articles of faith, of the Reformed So- 
ciety of Israelites, page 6.) 

Minister. May God bless thee, my son; and mayst 
thou ever be mindful of thy duty towards God, and thy 
duty towards thy fellow creatures. Let us praise the 
Lord God who created man after the image of his 
angels, who created him a rational, a responsible, an 
immortal soul. 



HITMNS. 



HYMN 1. 

ALTHOUGH the vine its fruit deny, 
The budding fig-tree droop and die, 

No oil the olive yield; 
Yet will I ever trust in God, 
Yea, bend rejoicing to his rod, 

Still by his mercy heal'd. 

Though fields, in verdure late array'd, 
By whirlwinds desolate be laid, 

Or parch'd by scorching beam; 
Still in the Lord shall be my trust, 
My joy; for, though his frown be just, 

His mercy is supreme. 

Though from the fold the flock decay, 
Though herds lie famish'd o'er the lea, 

And round the empty stall; 
My soul above the wreck shall rise, 
Its better joys are in the skies, 

Where God is all in all. 

In God, my strength, howe'er distrest, 
Still shall I hope, and calmly rest, 

Nay, triumph in his love; 
My ling'ring soul, my tardy feet, 
'Free as the hind he makes and fleet, 

To speed my course above. 

HYMN 2. 

ARISE, my soul! with rapture rise! 

And, fill'd with love and fear, adore 
The awful Sov'reign of the skies, 

Whose mercy lends me one day more. 

And may this day, indulgent Power! 

Not idly pass, nor fruitless be; 
But may each swiftly flying hour 

Still nearer bring my soul to Thee! 



56 Hymns. 

But can it be? that power divine 

Is thron'd in light's unbounded blaze; 

And countless worlds and angels join 
To swell the glorious song of praise. 

And will he deign to lend an ear, 

When frail and humble mortals pray? 

Yes, for his boundless love will hear, 
Nor cast the humblest wretch away. 

Then let me serve thee all my days, 
And let my zeal with years increase: 

For pleasant, Lord, are all thy ways, 
And all thy paths are paths of peace. 

HYMN 3, 

AS the good shepherd gently leads 
His wandering flocks to verdant meads, 
Where winding rivers soft and slow, 
Amid the flowery landscape flow. 

So God, the guardian of my soul, 
Doth all my erring steps controul; 
When lost in sin's perplexing maze, 
He brings me back to virtue's ways. 

Though I should journey through the plains 
Where death in all his terror reigns, 
My steadfast heart no ill shall fear, 
For thou, my God! art with me there. 

Thine ever watchful providence 
Is my support and my defence; 
With thee I am of all possess'd, 
And in thy favour fully bless'd. 

O bounteous God! my future days, 
Shall be devoted to thy praise, 
Thy holy name, thy love supreme, 
Shall ever be my grateful theme. 

, HYMN 4. 

BEFORE Jehovah's awful throne, 
Ye nations, bow with sacred joy; 
Know — that the Lord is God alone; 
He can create, he can destroy. 

His Sov'reign pow'r, without our aid, 
Made us of clay, and form'd us men; 
And when like wand'ring sheep, we stray'd, 
He brought us to his fold again, 



Hymns. 57 



We are his people, we his care, 
Our souls, and all our mortal frame; 
What lasting honours shall we rear, 
Almighty Maker! to thy name? 

We'll crowd thy gates with thankful songs, 
High as the heaven our voices raise; 
And earth, with her ten thousand tongues, 
Shall fill thy courts with sounding praise. 

Wide as the world is thy command, 
Vast as eternity thy love; 
Firm as a rock thy truth will stand, 
When rolling years shall cease to move. 

HYMN 5. 

BEFORE the glorious orbs of light, 

Had shed one blissful ray, 
In awful power, the Lord of might 

Reign'd in eternal day. 

At his creative, holy word 

The voice of nature spoke, 
Unnumber'd worlds with one accord, 

To living joys awoke. 

Then was proclaimed the mighty King, 

In majesty on high! 
Then did the holy creatures sing 

His praises through the sky. 

All merciful in strength he reigns 

Immutable! supreme! 
His hand the universe sustains, 

He only can redeem. 

He is the mighty God alone! 

His presence fills the world; 
He will for ever reign the one, 

Eternal, only Lord! 

Almighty, powerful and just! 

Thou art my God my friend, 
My rock, my refuge and my trust, 

On thee my hopes depend. 

O! be my guardian whilst I sleep, 
For thou didst lend me breath: 

And when I wake, my spirit keep, 
And save my soul in death. 



58 Hymns. 

HYMN 6. 

FATHER, whate'er of earthly bliss 

Thy Sov'reign will denies, 
Accepted at thy throne, let this, 

My humble pray'r arise — 

Give me a calm, a grateful heart, 

From every murmur free; 
The blessings of thy love impart, 

And make me live to thee. 

Let the sweet hope that thou art mine 

My life and death attend, 
Thy presence through my journey shine, 

And crown my journey's end. 

HYMN 7. 

FEW are thy days, and full of wo, 

O man, of woman born! 
Thy doom is written, "Dust thou art, 

"To dust shalt thou return." 

Behold the emblem of thy fate 

In flow'rs that bloom and die, 
Or in the shadow's fleeting form 

That mocks the gazer's eye. 

Determin'd are the days that fly, 

Successive o'er thy head; 
The number'd hour is on the wing, 

To lay thee with the dead. 

Great God! afflict not, in thy wrath, 

The short allotted span, 
That bounds the few and weary days 

Of pilgrimage to man. 

HYMN 8. 

FOUNTAIN of mercy, God of love, 

How rich thy bounties are; 
The rolling seasons, as they move, 

Proclaim thy constant care. 

When in the bosom of the earth 

The sower hid the grain, 
Thy goodness mark'd its secret birth, 

And sent the early rain. 

The spring's sweet influence, Lord, was thine, 

The plants in beauty grew; 
Thou gav'st the summer sun to shine, 

The mild refreshing dew. 



Hymns. 59 



These various mercies from above 

Matur'd the swelling grain; 
A bounteous harvest crowns thy love, 

And smiles on every plain. 

We own, we bless thy gracious sway: 

Thy hand all nature hails; 
Seed-time, nor harvest, night nor day, 

Summer nor winter fails. 

HYMN 9. 

FROM all that dwell below the skies, 

Let the Creator's praise arise; 
O! may Jehovah's name be sung. 
Through ev'ry land, by every tongue. 

Eternal are thy mercies, Lord, 

Eternal truth is in thy word; 

Thy praise shall sound from shore to shore, 

Till suns shall rise and set no more. 

HYMN 10. 

HOW long shall earth's alluring toys 

Detain our hearts and eyes, 
Regardless of immortal joys, 

And strangers to the skies! 

These transient scenes will soon decay, 

They fade upon the sight; 
And quickly will their brightest day 

Be lost in endless night. 

Their brightest day, alas, how vain! 

With conscious sighs we own; 
While clouds of sorrow, care, and pain, 

O'ershade the smiling noon. 

O could our thoughts and wishes fly 

Above these gloomy shades, 
To brighter worlds beyond the sky, 

Which sorrow ne'er invades! 

There joys, unseen by mortal eyes, 

Or reason's feeble ray, 
In ever blooming prospects rise, 

Unconscious of decay. 

Lord, send a beam of light divine, 

To guide our heavenward aim! 
With one reviving touch of thine 

Our languid hearts inflame. 



60 Hymns. 

Then shall, on faith's sublimest wing, 

Our ardent wishes rise, 
To those bright scenes, where pleasures spring, 

Immortal in the skies. 

HYMN 11. 

HOW short the race our friend has run, 

Cut down in all his bloom! 
The course, but yesterday begun, 

Now finish'd in the tomb! 

Thou joyous youth! hence learn how soon 

Thy years may end their flight: 
Long, long before life's brilliant noon 

May come death's gloomy night. 

To serve thy God no longer wait, 

To-day his voice regard; 
To-morrow, mercy's open gate 

May be for ever barr'd. 

And thus the Lord reveals his grace, 

Thy youthful love to gain — 
The soul that early seeks my face 

Shall never seek in vain. 

HYMN 12. 

INSPIRER and hearer of prayer, 
Thou shepherd and guardian of thine, 

My all to thy merciful care 
I, sleeping or waking, resign. 

If thou, gracious God! art my sun, 

The night is no darkness to me; 
And fast as my minutes roll on, 

They bring me but nearer to thee. 

A sov'reign protector I have, 

Unseen, yet for ever at hand; 
Unchangeably faithful to save, 

Almighty to rule and command. 

His smiles, and his comforts abound, 
His love, as the dew, shall descend; 

And walls of salvation surround 
The soul he delights to defend. 



Hymns. 61 

HYMN 13. 



LET heaven arise, let earth appear, 

Proclaim'd th' Eternal Lord: 
The heav'n arose, the earth appear'd, 

At his creating word. 

But formless was the earth, and void, 

Dark, sluggish, and confus'd; 
Till o'er the mass the Spirit mov'd, 

And quick'ning pow'r diffus'd. 

Then spake the Lord Omnipotent 
The mandate, "Be there light:" 

The vivid light sprang forth to life, 
And scatter'd ancient night. 

The glorious firmament he spread, 

To part the earth and sky; 
And fix'd the upper elements 

Within their spheres on high. 

He bade the seas together flow; 

They left the solid land; 
And herbs, and plants, and fruitful trees, 

Sprang forth at his command. 

Above, he formed the radiant stars, 

And orbs of broader light; 
The fiery sun to rule the day; 

The gentle moon the night. 

To all the varied living tribes, 
He gave their wond'rous birth; 

Some form'd within the wat'ry deep, 
Some, from the teeming earth. 

Then, chief o'er all his works below, 
Man, honour'd man, was made; 

His soul in God's own image formed, 
With innocence array'd. 

Completed now the mighty work, 

God his creation view'd: 
And pleas'd with all that he had made, 

Pronounced it "very good." 

HYMN 14. 

LIKE Noah's weary dove, 
That soar'd the earth around, 

But not a resting place above 
The cheerless waters found. 



62 Hymns. 

O cease, my wand'ring soul, 

On restless wing to roam; 
All the wide world, to either pole, 

Has not for thee a home. 

Behold the Ark of God, 

Behold the open door; 
Hasten to gain that dear abode, 

And rove, my soul, no more. 

I 
There, safe shalt thou abide, 

There, sweet shall be thy rest, 
With every longing satisfied, 

With full salvation blest. 

And, when the waves of ire 

Again the earth shall fill, 
The Ark shall ride the sea of fire — 

Then rest on Zion's hill. 

HYMN 15. 

LIFT up your hands, rejoice, rejoice! 
The sacred call of Heaven obey; 
Fear no reproach — a mighty voice, 
The great Jehovah leads the way. 

To Abram he unveil'd the light, 
Whose glory, at his high command, 
Pierced the deep gloom of Pagan night, 
To lead him to a heavenly land. 

His love, his zeal, his faith our guide, 
O! let us seek the path he trod, 
Like him with humble trust confide, 
Our sole dependance on our God. 

HYMN 16. 

MY op'ning eyes with rapture see 
The dawn of thy returning day; 

My thoughts, O God! ascend to thee, 
While thus my early vows I pay. 

My soul I give to thee alone, 
Nor to another yield a part; 

Eternal King! erect thy throne, 
And be the monarch of my heart. 

O! may I from the world retire, 
And cast each sinful thought away; 

Let me not feel one vain desire, 
That may pollute this holy day. 



Hymns. 63 



Then, to thy courts when I repair, 
My soul shall rise on joyful wing, 

The wonders of thy love declare, 

And join the strains, which angels sing. 

HYMN 17. 

NOW from the altar of our hearts, 

Let flames of love arise; 
Assist us, Lord, to consecrate 

Our ev'ning sacrifice. 

Minutes like mercies multiplied, 

Have thronged and blessed the day; 

The minutes quick, but mercies came 
More swift, more free than they. 

Thus hours and joys for ever new, 
Fresh songs of praise require; 

Till we adore thee as we ought, 
Accept our hearts desire. 

HYMN 18. 

O WHERE shall rest be found! 

Rest for the weary soul? — 
'Twere vain the ocean's depths to sound, 

Or pierce to either pole. 

The world can never give 
The bliss for which we sigh: 

'Tis not the whole of life to live, 
Nor all of death to die. 

Beyond this vale of tears, 

There is a life above, 
Unmeasur'd by the flight of years — 

And all that life is love. 

There is a death, whose pang 
Survives the fleeting breath: 

O what eternal horrors hang 
Around that awful death! 

O thou who reign'st above, 

Teach us that death to fear, 
Lest we be driven from thy love, 

To realms of black despair. 



64 Hymns. 

HYMN 19. 

PRAISE to thee, thou great Creator, 
Praise to thee from every tongue! 
Join my soul with every creature, 
Join the universal song! 

For ten thousand blessings given, 
For the hopes of endless joy, 
Sound his praise thro' earth and heaven, 
Sound Jehovah's praise on high! 
Halelujah! Amen. 

HYMN 20. 

PRAISE to God, immortal praise, 

For the love that crowns our days; 

Bounteous source of every joy, 

May thy praise our tongues employ: 

All to thee, our God, we owe, 

Source from which our blessings flow. 

All the riches of the fields, 
All the stores the garden yields, 
Flocks that whiten all the plain, 
The golden sheaves of ripen'd grain; 
Lord, for these our souls shall raise 
Grateful vows and solemn praise. 

Clouds that drop their fat'ning dews, 

Suns that genial warmth diffuse, 

All the plenty summer pours, 

And all the autumn's bounteous stores; 

Lord, for these our souls shall raise, 

Grateful vows and solemn praise. 

Peace, prosperity, and health, 
Private bliss and public wealth, 
Knowledge, with its gladd'ning streams, 
Pure religion's holier beams; 
Lord, for these our souls shall raise 
Grateful vows and solemn praise. 

Yet, should rising whirlwinds tear 
From its stem the rip'ning ear; 
Though the sick'ning flock should fall, 
And the herd desert the stall; 
Still to thee our souls shall raise 
Grateful vows and solemn praise. 



Hymns. 65 

Should thy chastening hand restrain 
The early and the latter rain, 
Blast each op'ning bud of joy, 
And the rising year destroy; 
Still to thee our souls shall raise 
Grateful vows and solemn praise. 

Life and health, whate'er our wo, 
Still to thee, our God, we owe; 
Though of early hopes bereft, 
Still our hope of heaven is left; 
And for these our souls shall raise 
Grateful vows and solemn praise. 

HYMN 21. 

SOVEREIGN Lord of light and glory, 

Author of our mortal frame; 
Gratefully, we bow before thee, 

And extol thy holy name. 
Hallelujah, hallelujah! ever sacred be the theme. 

Kind dispenser of each blessing 

That descends from heaven above, 
May we thankful these possessing, 

Still adore thy boundless love. 
Hallelujah, &c. praise to God, immortal praise. 

Thus, with humble adoration, 

May we bow before thy throne, 
And with grateful exultation, 

Thine abundant mercy own. 
Hallelujah, &c. praise belongs to thee alone. 

In thine every dispensation 

Love and mercy still appear, 
Thou the God of our salvation, 

To preserve art ever near, 
Hallelujah, &c. Glory be to God on high. 

HYMN 22. 

SWEET the mutual love that's glowing, 

In each brother's conscious breast; 
Its gentle stream so mildly flowing, 

Ever blessing, ever blest. 

Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, Amen.. 

Sweet as the fragrant balsam pouring 

On the pious Aaron's head, 
Till the sacred vestments streaming, 

Round their breathing odors shed. 
Hallelujah, Amen. 



66 Hymns. 

As morning dews on Zion's mountain, 

Glitter in the orient rays, 
Or sparkling gem the verdant cedars 

Hermon's holy top displays. 
Hallelujah, Amen. 

To such the Lord of love and mercy 

Blessings ever shall extend; 
On earth — a life of tranquil pleasure, 

In heaven — a bliss that ne'er shall end. 
Hallelujah, Amen. 

HYMN 23. 

THRICE happy is the man, who hears 

Religion's warning voice, 
Who makes celestial wisdom's path 

His early, only choice. 

For she has treasures costlier far 

Than east and west unfold; 
More precious are those bright rewards, 

Than gems, or stores of gold. 

With her right hand she gives the just 

Immortal, happy days; 
Her left, imperishable wealth, 

And heavenly crowns displays. 

And as her holy labours rise, 

So her rewards increase; 
Her ways are ways of pleasantness, 

And all her paths are peace. 

HYMN 24. 

THE God of life, whose constant care 
With blessings crowns each op'ning year, 
Our scanty span doth still prolong, 
And wakes anew our annual song. 

How many precious souls have fled 
To the vast regions of the dead, 
Since to this day the changing sun 
Hath through his yearly period run! 

We yet survive; but who can say, 

"If through this year, this month, this day, 

We shall retain this vital breath, 

Thus far, triumphant over death?" 



Hymns. 67 



That breath is thine, eternal God; 
'Tis thine to fix our souls abode; 
Our life depends on thee alone, 
On earth, or in the world unknown. 

To thee our spirits we resign, 

Save and accept them Lord as thine; 

So shall we feel no gloomy fear, 

Though death should blast the rising year. 

Thy children anxious to be gone, 

May bid the tide of time roll on, 

To bear them to the heavenly shore, 

Where sins and death are known no more. 

No sighs shall mingle with the songs 
Resounding from immortal tongues: 
No midnight shade, no clouded sun, 
But sacred, everlasting noon. 

O glorious year! the prophet's song, 
To thee what hallowed themes belong! 
Fair herald of that brighter ray, 
Which ushers in eternal day. 

HYMN 25. 

THE morning flow'rs display their sweets, 
And gay their silken leaves unfold; 

As careless of the noon-day heats, 
Nor trembling at the ev'ning cold. 

But swiftly comes the cruel blast, 
And the fierce beams of fervid day, 

The momentary glories waste, 
The short-liv'd beauties die away. 

So blooms the human face divine, 

When youth its morn of beauty shows; 

More fair than spring the colours shine, 
More lovely than the op'ning rose. 

But, worn by slowly rolling years, 
Or struck by sickness in a day, 

The fading glory disappears, 

The transient beauty dies away. 

Yet these, ascending from the tomb, 
Shall with a brighter lustre shine; 

Shall flourish in eternal bloom, 
Safe from diseases and decline. 



68 Hymns. 

Let sickness blast, let death devour, 
If heaven reward our earthly pains: 

Then perish youth! thy mortal flow'r, 
Since an eternal bloom remains. 



HYMN 26. 

THERE is a land of pure delight, 
Where saints immortal reign; 

Eternal day excludes the night, 
And pleasures banish pain. 

There everlasting spring abides, 

And never-fading flow'rs; 
Death, like a narrow sea, divides 

This heavenly land from our's. 

Bright fields beyond the swelling flood 

Stand dress'd in living green; 
So to our fathers Canaan stood, 
While Jordan roll'd between. 

But tim'rous mortals gaze, and shrink 

Back from the narrow sea; 
And linger, trembling on the brink, 

Nor dare to launch away. 

Oh! could we all our doubts remove, 
These gloomy doubts that rise, 

And see the Canaan that we love, 
With faith's unclouded eyes! 

Could we ascend where Moses stood, 

And view the landscape near, 
Not even death's dark rolling flood, 

Should smite our souls with fear. 

HYMN 27. 

THE spacious firmament on high, 
With all the blue ethereal sky, 
And spangled heav'ns, a wondrous frame, 
Their great Original proclaim. 

The glorious sun, from day to day, 
Doth his Creator's pow'r display, 
And publishes to every land 
The work of an Almighty hand. 



Hymns. 69 



Soon as the ev'ning shades prevail, 
The moon takes up the wondrous tale; 
And, nightly, to the list'ning earth, 
Repeats the story of her birth; 

Whilst all the stars that round her burn, 
And all the planets in their turn 
Attest the tidings as they roll, 
And spread the truth from pole to pole. 

What though in solemn silence all, 
Move round this dark terrestrial ball; 
Though not a real voice or sound 
Amidst their radiant orbs be found; 

In reason's ear they all rejoice, 
And utter forth a glorious voice, 
For ever singing, as they shine, 
"The hand that made us is divine." 

HYMN 28. 

TO thee my earliest off'rings rise, 

Whose sun restores the day, 
Swift as his gladd'ning influence flies, 

And spotless as his ray. 

O may, thy mercy still be nigh, 

Vouchsaf'd so oft before; 
Still may it all my wants supply, 

And I that hand adore. 

If bliss thy providence impart, 

For which, resign'd, I pray, 
Grant that I may with cheerful heart, 

My grateful homage pay. 

Affliction should thy love intend, 

My sins or faults to cure, 
Submissive for that gracious end, 

May I the pang endure. 

Be this and every future day 

Still wiser than the past, 
And when I all my life survey, 

May faith sustain the last. 



MAR 27 1916 



Deacidified using the Bookkeeper process. 
Neutralizing agent: Magnesium Oxide 
Treatment Date: Feb. 2005 

PreservationTechnologies 



